At Thanksgiving, could you eat as much as a walrus?

As everyone prepares for the Thanksgiving holiday feeding frenzy, could you really consume as many calories as a walrus?

Thanksgiving is considered the ultimate food holiday. While many people look to enjoy an extra helping of mashed potatoes, maybe a late-night turkey sandwich or a bigger slice of pie, those little extras tend to add a lot of calories by the end of the day. Still, could all those calories really be the same as what a walrus eats on a daily basis?

According to the Calorie Control Council, the average holiday meal (including appetizers, main dishes, sides and pecan pie for dessert) will be about 3,150 calories. While that number is much more than that 2,500 – calorie average, that over-abundant number is more like the daily caloric intact of a walrus.

While you probably shouldn’t compare Aunt Edna’s eating choices to a walrus (that comment will get your permanently sitting at the kids’ table), the comparison is real. SeaWorld Orlando says that an adult walrus eats approximately 27-165 pounds of food a day.

Although the average American might eat a little more on special occasions, walruses eat 3 to 6% of their total weight per day. Yes, a walrus might eat as much as 225 pounds of shellfish per day.

So, a walrus could eat as much as 3,000 to 6,000 clams in a single feeding session. If you think about animals, maybe that extra scoop of stuffing isn’t so bad. After all, you can do an extra Peloton workout in the morning or maybe you ran a Turkey Trot earlier in the day.

While this comparison is fun, SeaWorld Orlando can be a great place for everyone to learn about the food habits of all types of marine life. Although pumpkin pie might not be on the animals’ dessert list, pumpkins can offer some enrichment.

In many ways, learning about what and how marine life eats can help everyone on this planet. Since every living thing is connected, learning about these animals, their habits and their way of life can help everyone.

This Thanksgiving, before you take the third plate of food, think about the walrus. Is that extra helping really worth it?